The Terrible Two -- Review and Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“Our advice to an aspiring author today might be to do one of two things: either build a time machine and travel ten years into the past to

query their work -- or self-publish today”.

~Hugh Howey and Data Guy

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

Anne R. Allen has a really good post on creating atmosphere. Check it out HERE.

The Editor’s Blog has a terrific post HERE titled Get Pushy—Push Character Conflict and Reader Emotion.

Writer’s Digest posted a guest post by literary agent Barbara Poelle that is chock full of good advice and great humor HERE titled Answers to 14 Questions You’re Too Afraid to Ask Literary Agents. Do yourself a favor and read this one. 

When last we were here together, I promised an ARC of Fish in a Tree by the incomparable  Lynda Mullaly Hunt to one of you. Sometimes being last will get you first -- The last commenter on the post, Susan Olson, is the winner this week. Susan writes reviews of time-travel YA and MG books at Time Travel Times Two. Click on the title to visit and get some great book suggestions. Susan, I will get the book out to you this week. Congratulations!

This week I have a funny one for you. The Terrible Two is written by two very funny guys, Mac Barnett and Jory John, and illustrated by another very funny guy, Kevin Cornell. I do have one reservation about recommending this book. I'm not sure it's smart to give all these ideas to middle-graders! That said, this is just too much fun to not pass along. Here is the review I wrote for the San Francisco Book Review.

Miles Murphy and his mother move to the small town of Yawnee Valley, a place with a preponderance of cows, and Miles is not happy. He had recently confirmed his place as the greatest prankster at his old school. Now he would have to start over at building his reputation. When he arrives at his new school, someone has parked the principal’s car at the top of the stairs in front of the school door. Principal Barkin somehow gets it in his head that the new kid, Miles, must be to blame, but since he can’t prove it, he assigns Niles Sparks, perfect kids and school helper, to show Miles around. Niles, it turns out, is a well-hidden prankster. Pranking wars begin, but it takes cows to make the best prank of all.

“This morning was the culmination of more than a week’s worth of planning that had taken up six full pages in Miles Murphy’s pranking notebook. It was Miles’s greatest achievement.”

Mac Barnett and Jory John have written a very funny, very creative book that middle-schoolers, both boys and girls, will love. Kevin Cornell’s silly illustrations are the perfect complement to this over-the-top wacky story. The most reluctant of reluctant reader will be unable to resist this one. Librarians may want to order multiple copies for what is sure to be a very popular book. 

I have a gently-read ARC of The Terrible Two for one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.

Fish in a Tree -- Review and Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“The cat sat on the mat is not a story.

The cat sat on the other cat’s mat is a story.”

~ John le Carré ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

Augusta Scattergood has a wonderful guest post HERE on the Nerdy Book Club blog titled Top Ten Things I’ve Learned From Kids About Writing a Book. If you are writing for kids, don’t miss this. 

K. M. Weiland has written a stellar post on how to make your antagonist three-dimensional. Click HERE. It’s a good one.

HERE is a good post on the art of titling, in my mind a very difficult thing to master.

Last week I offered a copy of Nanny X to one of you, and this week's winner is Janet Smart! Congratulations, Janet. Janet is a writer of children's stories and books. You can learn more about her by visiting her blog, Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch. Click on the title to visit. Janet, I'll get your book out to you this week. Everyone, stay tuned. I have another giveaway this week.

I want to tell you about a book that was just released this week, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. If you don't know Lynda, you should. She's a most amazing writer. I fell in love with her writing with her debut novel, One for the Murphys. I read that book three years ago, and I still tear up when I think about it. Seriously. It is such a powerful book. You can read my review of it HERE. You can also read my interview with Lynda HERE. If you haven't read that book yet, for heaven's sake, get to it. I promise you will enjoy every word. 

Knowing how I felt about her first book, imagine how excited I was to know that she had another book. I couldn't wait to read it, and I was not disappointed. Here is my five-star review for the San Francisco Book Review.

Ally is a pretty smart cookie, although she doesn’t really believe that. But she must be. She has managed to keep her secret – she cannot read – a perfect secret for all her school years, and now she is in sixth grade. She’s great at

Lynda Mullaly Hunt

math and a true artist, but reading and writing are as painful for her as the terrible bullying and teasing she has to put up with every day at school. Ally keeps on trying to learn and goes to school every day. Everything changes when her teacher goes on maternity leave and a new teacher, Mr. Daniels, takes over. He is patient with her and finds different ways for Ally to learn. Day by day, Ally grows stronger, makes some friends, and learns to trust some people. The girl who has been bullying Ally begins to lose her power as Ally gains her own.

 “Oliver tells me that it’s cool I’m so good at this. I forget to say thank you because I’m shocked.”

Lynda MullalyHunt has written a book every bit as powerful as her first book, One for theMurphys, with engaging, well-rounded characters, a moving story, spectacular writing, and important messages that will resonate with Tween readers and anyone else lucky enough to find this wonderful book. Don’t miss this one.

I'm giving away my gently read ARC to one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.